Yeah, so I can only leave a tough girl entry at the top of my blog for, well, a couple of hours, before I feel weird. Truth is, though I am confident in my decision to let Zoralee nurse as long as she and I are both happy and healthy about it, I have wondered if I should be drawing bolder lines from nursing to the quandries I face.
Namely, is there a chance Zoralee's not getting everything she needs nutritionally, and that's why she's a fusser? She's a good food eater, as far as variety - she'll eat practically anything we set before her - but she rarely eats a lot at once. So, is she holding off on food, knowing she can fill up on milk, and then the milk is lacking??? But her energy levels are over-the-top adequate, other than when she's teething or has a cold. So, is the fussing a habit unrelated to nutrition?
Second namely, is there a chance nursing is keeping me so doggone tired? Am I not getting enough nutritionally?
Third namely, is Zoralee's poor sleep quality related to nursing? Of everything about her first year and a half, I will say that sleeping has been the biggest trial. I know a lot of it is my fault, and I'm trying to improve. Be consistent with routines. Get her to bed earlier. Yada yada. If she goes to bed by 9 p.m. (which I understand to be late for a toddler), she'll wake up twice, sometimes three times before 7:30 a.m. And those are full wakeups that require my attention. She rustles around another time or two, but generally fusses a bit and falls back asleep. We transitioned out of co-sleeping a month ago, and the main way that has helped is to allow me to sleep deeper. Both of us are light sleepers, so even if she has a great night, it's no guarantee I will. Very frustrating.
Even as I'm writing, I am working out that I don't think nursing is the problem. I think getting proper sleep is. Because whenever we do both have a great night, we have plenty of energy and are happy, and she's less fussy.
And on that, I really should get to bed. And I shall. After I catch up on one single blog, or two. I give myself 8 minutes, starting now.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
nursing conversations
family friend at a recent gathering: You're still nursing there, Mama?!
me, nursing Zoralee under a blanket: Yep.
friend: [semi-disapproving silence]
I didn't bother explaining that I'm in no hurry to lose our precious bonding time or that I'm happy Zoralee's still getting good antibodies, or that I think it's weird that Americans are uniquely concerned about what we call "extended" nursing, though a lot of the world considers it normal to let a child wean naturally anytime between 18 months and three years. I didn't say anything more. Nope. I just sat there feeling like part of a really cool club of informed people who do things the way they think is best, despite other people's opinions. Because, honestly, I haven't gotten much grief up to this point, and she's a really nice lady.
I do wish, however, that I would have thought to tell her about the following recurring conversations I get to have with my little nursling. But maybe it wouldn't have helped my cause, since a common line I hear among Hurry-Up-And-Quit-Nursing proponents is that "If a kid can ask for milk, they're too old for it." And of course, to that I say, "hogwash." If you had your baby peeing in the toilet at three weeks of age, you can lecture me on nursing. Shazaaam!
Okay, here are the best conversations:
1. Zoralee: Milk, milk, milk, milk!
me: You want some milk?
Zoralee: oh-kaaaay!
2. Zoralee: Milk, milk, milk, milk!
me: Okay, let's have milk.
Zoralee: Good boy, Mama! Good boy, Mama! Good boy!
3. Zoralee, reaching into my shirt: Come on, boobie. Come on, boobie. Come on, boobie.
P.S. You guys know I'm not judging those who nurse for three months or six - or none at all, if they can't! There are a lot of factors to consider, especially nowadays when we have a choice about it. My point here is that I like to see mothers (and be one myself) making decisions based on knowledge/insight rather than public opinion, especially modern-day public opinion.
The End.
me, nursing Zoralee under a blanket: Yep.
friend: [semi-disapproving silence]
I didn't bother explaining that I'm in no hurry to lose our precious bonding time or that I'm happy Zoralee's still getting good antibodies, or that I think it's weird that Americans are uniquely concerned about what we call "extended" nursing, though a lot of the world considers it normal to let a child wean naturally anytime between 18 months and three years. I didn't say anything more. Nope. I just sat there feeling like part of a really cool club of informed people who do things the way they think is best, despite other people's opinions. Because, honestly, I haven't gotten much grief up to this point, and she's a really nice lady.
I do wish, however, that I would have thought to tell her about the following recurring conversations I get to have with my little nursling. But maybe it wouldn't have helped my cause, since a common line I hear among Hurry-Up-And-Quit-Nursing proponents is that "If a kid can ask for milk, they're too old for it." And of course, to that I say, "hogwash." If you had your baby peeing in the toilet at three weeks of age, you can lecture me on nursing. Shazaaam!
Okay, here are the best conversations:
1. Zoralee: Milk, milk, milk, milk!
me: You want some milk?
Zoralee: oh-kaaaay!
2. Zoralee: Milk, milk, milk, milk!
me: Okay, let's have milk.
Zoralee: Good boy, Mama! Good boy, Mama! Good boy!
3. Zoralee, reaching into my shirt: Come on, boobie. Come on, boobie. Come on, boobie.
P.S. You guys know I'm not judging those who nurse for three months or six - or none at all, if they can't! There are a lot of factors to consider, especially nowadays when we have a choice about it. My point here is that I like to see mothers (and be one myself) making decisions based on knowledge/insight rather than public opinion, especially modern-day public opinion.
The End.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)